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Presents
2021 Labor and Employment Law Rising Stars We are proud to present the 2021 Rising Stars in Labor and Employment Law submitted by our sponsors. These attorneys are 40 or under and have practiced law 10 years or less. They are already top performers in their respective firms.
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Ogletree Deakins Ogletree Deakins is one of the largest labor and employment law firms representing management in all types of employment-related legal matters. U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” has named Ogletree Deakins a “Law Firm of the Year” for 10 consecutive years. In 2021, the publication named Ogletree Deakins its “Law Firm of the Year” in the Litigation – Labor & Employment category. Ogletree Deakins has more than 900 attorneys located in 53 offices across the United States and in Europe, Canada, and Mexico. The firm represents a diverse range of clients, from small businesses to Fortune 50 companies. www.ogletree.com
Michael Cohen RALEIGH
Bonnie Puckett ATLANTA Bonnie Puckett focuses on Diversity & Inclusion and respectful-workplace initiatives from a global perspective. Utilizing her background and credentials in linguistics, diversity & inclusion, and workplace investigations, Bonnie designs and executes upon multinational clients’ strategies for improving diversity and inclusion, training employees, investigating policy violations, identifying and remedying latent officeculture problems between headquarters and subsidiaries abroad, or within particular subsidiaries. As lead of Ogletree’s AsiaPacific regional team, Bonnie has extensive experience conducting trainings for, and investigations into conduct occurring in, locations such as Japan, Hong Kong, China, and Korea.
Josh Harrison BIRMINGHAM Josh represents and counsels businesses on employment law matters, including developing plans and strategies to tackle challenging circumstances, such as harassment investigations, workplace injuries or fatalities, business model challenges by independent contractors, and managing crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to daily advice and counsel, a significant portion of Josh’s practice includes defending clients against class and collective litigation or arbitration in multiple jurisdictions across the country. Many of these cases involve claims of independent contractor misclassification.
Tina Lam BIRMINGHAM Tina’s practice focuses on assisting federal contractors and subcontractors with affirmative action and U.S. government reporting obligations, as well as responding to compliance reviews brought by the OFCCP and the DOL. She regularly provides guidance and advice to clients on affirmative action planning, OFCCP jurisdictional matters, investigation and defense of systemic discrimination issues stemming from statistical disparities in hiring and compensation cases. In addition, Tina helps employers comply with affirmative action obligations.
Tae Phillips BIRMINGHAM A significant portion of Tae’s practice consists of employment litigation involving employment claims. He also assists employers in labor matters such as union avoidance, election campaigns, collective bargaining, and labor arbitrations. He also advises clients on disputes involving non-compete and other restrictive covenant agreements. Tae is heavily involved in the firm’s Drug Testing Practice Group and has nationally recognized experience on marijuana issues in the workplace. He regularly assists clients across the country in handling medical and recreational marijuana. Tae serves as co-chair of Ogletree Deakins’ Diversity and Business Resource Group for Asian American attorneys within the firm.
Kathryn Parham MEMPHIS Kathryn serves as Special Counsel with the firm’s EEO Advantage Program. Kathryn defends employers nationwide against administrative charges filed with the EEOC and state agencies. She regularly engages in settlement negotiations and mediations and works with in-house counsel to assess and develop litigation avoidance and risk strategies. Kathryn advises in-house counsel and human resources professionals regarding day-to-day employment-related matters, including discipline and discharge, leave, and reasonable accommodation questions, drafts employment policies and handbooks, and prepares pleadings, motions and briefs for employment discrimination cases in federal court.
Elizabeth Gift CHARLOTTE Elizabeth devotes a substantial portion of her practice providing advice on nearly every aspect of the employment relationship. As a strategic partner, Elizabeth focuses on addressing existing or threatened employment claims and on developing strategies to mitigate risk. Elizabeth has a depth of experience with clients in retail, manufacturing, healthcare, financial, and higher education, among others. She devotes the remainder of her practice to employment litigation. Elizabeth has a compelling record in high stakes litigation, including under the FLSA, Title VII, the ADA, Section 1981, the ADEA, the FMLA, and the Federal Arbitration Act.
Michael Cohen focuses his practice on representing employers in wage and hour class and collective actions, FMLA claims, wrongful termination, discrimination, retaliation, and trade secrets matters. He has extensive experience defending his clients before federal and state courts nationwide, and federal, state, and local administrative agencies. Michael routinely counsels his clients through complex issues, including independent contractor misclassification, exempt employee misclassification, managing leave and accommodation requests, and terminations. He also helps draft and revise employee handbooks, employment contracts, independent contractor agreements, severance agreements, and restrictive covenant agreements.
Michael McKnight RALEIGH Michael represents employers in all types of labor and employment matters. He has extensive experience as an advocate for employers in administrative agency proceedings, investigations, and audits before state and federal EEOC, OSHA, and Wage and Hour agencies. Michael routinely advises employers in investigating and responding to workplace accidents, injuries, and fatalities. He regularly works with employers in the agriculture, automotive, construction, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing, retail, technology, transportation, and utilities industries. He also represents and advises non-profit organizations, schools, and governmental agencies and officials on civil rights and campaign finance laws and state and federal constitutional requirements.
Gretchen Lehman TAMPA Gretchen focuses on employment litigation in federal and state courts, and defending employers under Title VII, the Florida Civil Rights Act, the ADEA, the ADA, USERRA, FLSA, the First Amendment and state tort laws. She also specializes in ADA Title III disability issues. She has also defended management before the EEOC, the Florida Commission on Human Relations, the Pinellas County Office of Human Rights, the Agency for Workforce Innovation and the Public Employees Relations Commission. Gretchen defended companies before the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings. Gretchen regularly advises employers on employment laws and works with managers and HR professionals.
Sara Sanfilippo TAMPA Sara focuses her practice on defending labor and employment law matters involving wage and hour claims, discrimination, harassment and wrongful discharge in state and federal courts and before administrative agencies. She also advises and counsels employers on best practices and policies.
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Fisher Phillips With more than 450 attorneys in 36 offices across the United States, Fisher Phillips is a national labor and employment firm providing practical business solutions for employers’ workplace legal problems. We regularly advise and counsel clients on issues surrounding wage and hour, employment discrimination and harassment, litigation, workplace safety, immigration, trade secrets and non-competes, and more.
Marilyn Higdon MEMPHIS
Marilyn Higdon is an associate in the Fisher Phillips Memphis office. She focuses on a wide range of labor and employment issues including discrimination, harassment, retaliation, employment policies, wage and hour, and traditional labor disputes. Marilyn earned her J.D., cum laude, from the University of Mississippi School of Law, where she was Executive Articles Editor for the Mississippi Law Journal. During law school, she worked in-house as an intern in the Labor Law Group at a Fortune 100 global shipping company and served as intern for Hon. R. David Proctor at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.
Chantell C. Foley LOUISVILLE
Chantell Foley is an associate in the Louisville office. Chantell’s background includes significant experience in health and safety litigation. She uses this experience to counsel clients during government investigations and throughout the litigation process. Chantell also represents employers in all aspects of labor and employment law including charges of discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and other employment-related claims. Prior to joining the firm, Chantell was an attorney with the Kentucky Labor Cabinet, where she litigated Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) disputes in administrative courts. She is equipped to provide employers with the best defense tactics when defending OSHA violations.
Andrew Baer NEW ORLEANS
Andrew Baer has a strong background in business and brings a practical approach to employers confronted with countless workplace issues. An attorney in the Fisher Phillips New Orleans office, Andrew relies on his background to advise and defend employers in a wide array of employment matters under both state and federal laws. He is a member of the firm’s Workplace Safety Group, COVID-19 Task Force, and Small Business Administration Loan team, which have been at the forefront of developing content and guiding employers on the ever changing situations throughout the country.
William Brian London NEW ORLEANS
Brian London is an associate in the Fisher Phillips New Orleans office. He represents employers in a variety of employment-related disputes, including cases arising under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), Equal Pay Act (EPA), Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), among other federal and state employment laws. Furthermore, he regularly represents clients in disputes involving non-competition and non-solicitation agreements, breaches of fiduciary duty, and theft of trade secrets.
Ariel M. Kelly NASHVILLE
Ariel is an associate in the Fisher Phillips Nashville office. She defends employers in labor and employment matters, building upon a unique combination of experience in plaintiff-side and management-side defense litigation. She leverages her previous experience as an attorney for both plaintiffs and employers to provide thoughtful and effective solutions to address her clients’ needs. On the management side, she has counseled and defended clients on a wide variety of labor and employment matters. She litigates these claims on behalf of employers in single and multiplaintiff cases, as well as class and collective actions, on the state and federal level.
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Paul E. Goatley LOUISVILLE
Paul is an associate in the Louisville office who advises and represents employers in all areas of employment and labor law, including issues related to leaves of absence, disability, hiring, and disciplinary actions; discrimination and harassment claims; wage and hour issues; classification of independent contractors; and class and collective action litigation. Prior to joining Fisher Phillips, Paul was an associate at a labor and employment firm in California and worked for several years at the Association of Corporate Counsel in Washington, D.C.
Ashby Angell LOUISVILLE
Ashby is an associate in the Louisville office. Her practice is focused exclusively on labor and employment law across various industries including manufacturing, healthcare, and media. Ashby represents employers in a variety of legal issues including discrimination, sexual harassment, and non-compete agreements. She also has experience handling traditional labor matters, including labor arbitrations and union avoidance training. Prior to joining the firm, Ashby worked for a small civil litigation firm in Louisville, where she represented clients in a variety of tort claims.
Kelly McCall GULFPORT
Kelly brings a fresh approach to employers navigating many issues in the workplace. As an attorney in Fisher Phillips Gulfport office, Kelly advises and defends employers in a wide array of employment matters under both federal and state laws. Throughout her tenure, Kelly has successfully defended employers against claims of unlawful discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, retaliation, and breach of contract matters. Kelly also assists employers with drafting employee handbooks, policies and procedures, conducting workplace trainings, and internal investigations. Kelly has significant experience working with the hospitality industry and understands the unique challenges facing employers in today’s market.
Bass, Berry & Sims Bass, Berry & Sims provides full-service representation to public and private employers ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small locally-owned businesses. Our Labor & Employment attorneys defend clients nationwide, and provide day-to-day counsel, with respect to claims of discrimination, retaliatory discharge, FMLA leave, and whistleblowing, as well as non-compete matters and employee misclassification issues. Our dedicated team of Employee Benefits attorneys advise companies on all facets of employee benefit issues, including ERISA compliance and the design, drafting, implementation, amendment, termination and administration of employee benefit plans.
Noah Black
Mary Leigh Pirtie
NASHVILLE
NASHVILLE
Noah Black works with clients on the design, implementation and administration of qualified benefit plans, health and welfare benefit plans and deferred compensation packages. He also provides diligence and support on employee benefits and compensation issues arising in mergers, acquisitions and other corporate transactions. Prior to joining Bass, Berry & Sims, Noah worked with the U.S. Department of Labor in the Employee Benefits Security Administration where he investigated retirement plans and plan service providers to ensure compliance with Title I of ERISA and negotiated with fiduciaries to resolve ERISA violations.
Brett Good NASHVILLE
Brett Good provides advice to companies on federal tax and employee benefit matters, including qualified retirement plans, equity incentive plans, executive compensation arrangements, and health and welfare plans. He regularly advises clients on compensation and employee benefit issues that arise in connection with mergers and acquisitions, financings, and other corporate transactions. Prior to rejoining Bass, Berry & Sims, Brett was an associate with Goodwin Procter LLP in Silicon Valley.
Mary Leigh Pirtle helps human resources professionals and in-house counsel at companies of all sizes navigate complicated and evolving employment law issues. She defends employers in matters of labor & employment litigation in federal and state court, including complaints related to non-compete/non-solicitation agreements, reductions in force, wrongful discharge, discrimination and civil rights, and wage and hour compliance. Her practice also involves drafting employment agreements and restrictive covenants, advising clients on discipline, discharge of employees and employee relations, and drafting policies and employee handbooks.
Kimberly Veirs NASHVILLE
Kimberly Veirs represents employers in state and federal litigation related to discrimination, retaliation, and wage and hour compliance. Kimberly also counsels clients in all facets of employment law, providing counsel with respect to state and federal employment law compliance, including employment law issues involving the FMLA, ADA, FLSA and OSHA. She advises employers in matters involving employee discipline, wrongful termination, retaliation, discrimination, harassment, wage and hour claims, and other employment-related matters.
Lymari Cromwell
Ginette Brown
NASHVILLE
NASHVILLE
Lymari Cromwell counsels clients in all aspects of employment and labor relations law, representing industries as diverse as healthcare, hospitality and manufacturing. From medical leaves to background checks, Lymari helps employers keep in step with the constantly changing regulations that impact the workplace, and works to ensure correct interpretation and implementation of the laws. Lymari has assisted with cases ranging from a 3,000-employee wage and hour collective action to a successful federal jury trial in a Title VII discrimination case.
Laura Mallory NASHVILLE
Laura Mallory represents employers in all aspects of labor and employment law. She advises companies on a variety of employment matters and provides counsel to clients with respect to compliance with state and federal employment laws; hiring and termination policies; drug testing and other employment related issues. Her practice also involves the drafting of separation agreements, restrictive covenants, position statements, policies and employment handbooks.
Ginette Brown counsels clients in all aspects of employment and labor relations law, helping employers remain compliant with the constantly changing regulations that impact the workplace. She has experience litigating cases and counseling clients regarding federal and state employment laws, securities law violations, contract disputes, workplace immigration, and compliance issues. Ginette frequently works with companies on issues regarding employee discipline, wrongful termination, discrimination, defamation, harassment, breach of contract, and other matters.
Catherine Simpson MEMPHIS
Catherine Simpson works with clients on the design, administration, and compliance of qualified benefit plans, health and welfare benefit plans, and deferred compensation packages. She also provides diligence and support on employee benefits and compensation issues arising in corporate transactions. Catherine earned her law degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law and her B.B.A. in accounting from Southern Methodist University.
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Littler At Littler, we understand that workplace issues can’t wait. With access to more than 1,600 employment attorneys in 90 offices around the world, our clients don’t have to. We aim to go beyond best practices, creating solutions that help clients navigate a complex business world. With deep experience and resources that are local, everywhere, a diverse team of the brightest minds, and powerful proprietary technology, we deliver groundbreaking innovation that prepares employers for what’s happening today, and what’s likely to happen tomorrow. Because at Littler, we’re fueled by ingenuity and inspired by you.
Hayden Bashinski BIRMINGHAM
Hayden Bashinski is a top-rated attorney selected to Rising Stars for 2020. He works at Littler Mendelson, P.C., located in Birmingham, Alabama, and provides legal services for issues involving Employment & Labor: Employer to the surrounding community. Hayden Bashinski completed legal studies at Samford University Cumberland School of Law and graduated with the class of 2017. Hayden Bashinski passed the bar in 2017. Only a few attorneys from each state are selected to Super Lawyers designation for any given year. The multi-factor selection process includes independent research, peer nominations and evaluations, as well as professional achievement in legal practice.
Jay Inman LEXINGTON
Jay Inman is a shareholder in Littler’s Lexington office, where he represents employers throughout Kentucky and Tennessee in a full range of labor and employment law matters arising under federal, state, and local laws. He regularly provides advice, counsel, and training for employers of all sizes, and he has assisted clients with administrative agency investigations and charges, as well as represented clients at various stages of litigation, including trial and, if necessary, appeal. Jay has particular experience with drafting and enforcing arbitration agreements and appellate practice in employment law, and his industries of emphasis include healthcare and manufacturing.
John Michael Carter LEXINGTON
John Michael Carter is an associate in Littler’s Lexington office, where he primarily represents employers in varied civil litigation in Kentucky state and federal courts. He has extensive experience with complex discovery and the appellate process. John Michael also regularly handles administrative charges. His practice touches on many areas of employment law but is particularly focused on discrimination claims.
Kevin Cleys CHARLOTTE
Kevin Cleys advises and represents management in a broad range of employment matters. A significant part of his practice focuses on handling single-plaintiff employment litigation arising under various state laws in addition to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and the Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA). He has litigation experience at the administrative, state, and federal levels, where he has handled charges of discrimination and retaliation, wage and hour issues, state and federal trade secrets claims, and restrictive covenant and contract disputes.
Rainey, Kizer, Reviere & Bell, PLC Rainey Kizer Reviere & Bell PLC focuses on achieving exceptional client representation, satisfaction, and results by providing the highest quality, timely, and cost-effective legal services. Since its founding in 1975, the firm has grown from a few attorneys to forty lawyers and represents local, regional, and national clients from its five offices in Memphis, Jackson, Nashville and Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Matthew R. Courtner JACKSON
Matthew R. Courtner is a member of Rainey, Kizer, Reviere & Bell, PLC and joined the firm in 2011. He graduated from Mississippi College of Law, summa cum laude, in 2009 and then obtained a Masters of Law from New York University School of Law in 2010. Matthew practices in civil litigation with a focus on employment law, governmental law, civil rights, and tort defense. He assists employers by providing advice on day-to-day activities, drafting handbooks, investigating complaints of employee misconduct, and defense of employment law claims from the EEOC through the courts.
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